Physical and spiritual transformation
Just as he opened the ears of the deaf man, Jesus opens our hearts
September 10, 2006 -- 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Michael Stubbs
The hearing-impaired find various ways to communicate. They may use sign language. Some may read lips. Others may speak orally. In any case, the situation of being hearing impaired does not prevent them from communicating.
On the other hand, Sunday's gospel reading, Mark 7:31-37, links the ability to hear and the ability to speak. It assumes that a person who cannot do one, cannot do the other. The story describes a healing by Jesus. "And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him." Jesus cures the man, and enables him to hear and to speak. "And immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed."
In Mark's recounting of this story, Jesus' miracle takes on a metaphorical character. Jesus heals not only the body, but the spirit as well. The ability to hear stands for the ability to understand the good news of Jesus Christ. The ability to speak stands for a willingness to share that message with others. Jesus transforms the man physically and spiritually. He turns the man into a disciple.
Jesus' miracle deeply impresses the crowd which sees it. "They were exceedingly astonished and they said, 'He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.'" In their enthusiasm, they begin to spread the news about this wonderful miracle worker, despite Jesus' protests. "He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it." Jesus' miracle has not only opened the mouth of the man with the speech impediment, it has also opened the mouths of the crowd who has witnessed the miracle. They also have been spiritually transformed. They also have become his disciples.
The crowd's words about Jesus echo the prophet Isaiah, who provides Sunday's 1st reading, Isaiah 35:4-7a. "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing." Isaiah's prophecy looks forward to a time when God will come among the people to save them, a time when God will bring the world new life. Mark's gospel sees Jesus as the fulfillment of that promise.
Jesus will bring them, not only cures for their physical ailments, but also God's salvation. "Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you." (Isaiah 35:4)
Jesus is the one who opens our hearts to receive his message of salvation, just as he opens the ears of the deaf man in the gospel story. Similarly, Jesus also gives us the courage to spread that message, just as he removed the speech impediment from the man in the gospel story. There is a little ceremony which takes place during the rite of Baptism which reflects that idea. It is called the Ephphatha. The priest or deacon performing the baptism touches the ears and the mouth of the newly baptized and says, "The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father."
(Fr. Stubbs, a priest of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, has a master's degree in theology from Harvard.)
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